The Sweetest Birthday
by Kristen3
Summary: Niles plans to celebrate his special day by enjoying a quiet dinner with his wife and son, but Daphne's impromptu suggestion of getting ice cream suddenly makes the occasion memorable. Birthday one-shot for Andrea (iloveromance).


**Author's Note: **Once again, I am dedicating a story to Andrea (**iloveromance**) for her birthday. This idea was semi-inspired by real life, but of course it went in another direction. I also didn't plan for it to be so long, but I think the result is worth it! :)

"Thank you so much for my wonderful birthday dinner, my love," Niles said, leaning across the table to kiss Daphne.

"You're welcome," Daphne said, smiling as the kiss ended. "David and I wanted to give you the most perfect birthday possible, because we both love you so much." Daphne looked over at her infant son in his highchair. Every time she saw his face, she could feel her heart melt.

"Well, having the two of you here with me is all I could ever want." Niles knew he could never take a second for granted with his wife and son, because he'd waited so long to let Daphne know his real feelings. Sometimes, he felt like pinching himself, because he didn't think he'd end up here.

For a moment, both Niles and Daphne were quiet. They both watched their son, who seemed to be enjoying this sudden attention. They both knew they were more than a little biased, but there could never be a child more loved than David Crane.

Daphne broke the silence. "Let's go out for ice cream."

Niles looked at her, confused. "Now?"

"Yes. You've been so busy lately with your work, and I've been taking care of David. We haven't had time to go out and do something fun. What better time than now?"

It was true. Niles' practice had suddenly grown lately. He didn't mind of course. He'd gone into psychiatry to help people. But the time away from his family did take a toll. Tonight, however, he was determined to forget all about his patients, and spend a quiet evening with his wife and baby. He was so grateful for Daphne. Niles knew he had a tendency to become overly involved in his work, but she was always there to remind him what was important. "All right," Niles finally said. "Let's go have ice cream."

Daphne smiled, standing up to lift David out of his seat. "Come on, sweetheart. We have to get you ready to go out."

Hearing his mother's voice, David smiled at her. He loved rides in the car.

"We'll be right back," Daphne said, kissing David's cheek. She carried him upstairs, carefully changing him and getting him dressed. As she tended to him, Daphne talked to him. David obviously loved her voice. After all of the stories she'd heard from her mother about her brothers, Daphne was grateful that David was generally a happy baby. She worried a bit about what his toddler years would be like, but she knew it would be a while before David reached that stage. When he was all set, Daphne picked him up. "Let's go make sure your daddy has the best birthday ever!"

Niles gasped when he saw the two of them come back down the stairs. "We're all ready," Daphne announced. When she reached him, Niles very carefully helped Daphne on with her coat. An outing like this might seem ordinary to most people. But every moment he spent with his family, Niles knew he was making memories that would stay with him forever.

Soon they were in the car, driving around Seattle. Their plan was to find an ice cream shop somewhere, but they weren't in a hurry. Daphne kept an eye on David through the rearview mirror. The baby seemed to be enjoying the ride. She didn't even notice at first when Niles pulled the car over. She looked out the windshield and saw that they were indeed right in front of a small roadside ice cream stand. It was a place she'd never seen before. But of course, Niles had lived here far longer than she had, and she loved that he was able to surprise her like this.

"Well, my love," Niles said as Daphne took David out of the car. "What do you want?"

Daphne kissed him, still holding their son close. "Everything I could want is right here."

"No, I meant, what flavor?" Niles replied, pointing to the board where the options were listed.

She studied the menu, amazed at how many choices there were. Back in Manchester, they'd had stands just like this one. She remembered boys taking her there on dates, because it was the cheapest place around. There were only three flavors then. It was just one more sign of how much her life had changed since then. "I can hardly make up me mind." But she knew she had to pick, because there were other people waiting. She could feel their impatience. Suddenly, her eyes settled on a picture of a cup of vanilla ice cream, covered in strawberries. It looked almost to good to be true. "I want that," she said, pointing.

"All right, then," Niles said. "You and David wait here a moment." He walked over to the stand to place their orders. Only then did Daphne remember that it was his birthday, and she should've gone to the counter. Niles shouldn't have to pay for this. She thought about stopping him, but knew it would be useless. She watched as Niles was handed their two ice creams, and for a moment, she thought about how she'd first come to the Cranes as a healthcare worker. She hadn't known it then, but that was the best decision she'd ever made. She kissed David's cheek one more time. "We're both so lucky," she whispered.

"Here you are, my love." Niles suddenly appeared before her, holding out a cup of ice cream to her. "I took the liberty of asking for extra strawberries."

Daphne took the cup from him, but then she realized it would be impossible to eat while holding David. Niles saw her dilemma. "Let's grab a table," he said. Luckily, there was one nearby. Daphne placed her cup on the table before sitting down and placing David on her lap. Niles sat across from them, very carefully eating his chocolate ice cream cone. Daphne ate a spoonful of the ice cream, finding it even better than she'd imagined. "This is wonderful," she sighed.

Niles smiled at her. His chocolate soft-serve wasn't bad, but he was grateful Daphne was enjoying her sundae. Just looking at his wife and son nearly took his breath away.

Suddenly, David began using his tiny hands to hit the edge of the table. Daphne laughed. Clearly her son wanted some attention. "Would you like to try some?" Of course David didn't respond. He merely looked at her with a slightly confused expression. Daphne dipped her small plastic spoon into the cup, getting a small spoonful of vanilla. "Here you go," she said, holding the spoon near his mouth. It took a moment before David understood, but he soon leaned forward and closed his mouth around the spoon. Niles and Daphne waited, eager to see what their son's reaction would be. It was clear he was shocked by the cold. Daphne laughed at the face he made, but she supposed it would be a shock to her, too, if she hadn't been expecting it. But then the ice cream melted, and David grinned. Clearly he liked it. That was proven to be true when he eagerly ate several more spoonfuls. "Well, I guess our son has inherited me sweet tooth," Daphne said.

"It appears so. You know, I was looking forward to spending a quiet evening at home with the two of you. It's been a very long week, what with my patients and their problems. Ice cream was the last thing on my mind, until you suggested coming here. I'm so glad we did this. I sometimes forget that things that you and I think are ordinary are still new to David. When Frasier and I were growing up, Dad was hardly around. I know we've all made amends now, but there's no way to get that time back. That's why I want to make sure I don't miss a moment of my son's childhood. I know it'll go by much too fast."

Daphne reached across the table to take his hand. "You're a wonderful father. I know David loves you."

"I know he does," Niles replied. "And I'm so grateful for the both of you. You've both made this one of the most memorable birthdays I can ever recall. Before you came into my life, I measured my wealth and success by the size of my bank account and how many expensive antiques I bought. But you've shown me so many more things in the world far more important than money. I can never thank you enough."

Daphne kissed Niles deeply. Every time he reminded her how much he loved her, she longed to respond with some equally beautiful words. But she wasn't as sophisticated as he was. She'd tried a few times to express how she felt, but it never seemed adequate. Luckily, once David was asleep in his crib, she was able to find other ways to let Niles know she loved him. But, no matter how she tried, she could never seem to convey just how much he meant to her, how she loved him with all of her heart and soul. But as she looked across the table and into his eyes, she realized the most important thing: she had a lifetime to love him. It might still not be enough, but she would do all she could to make it worthwhile.

**The End**


End file.
